Knitting-machine needle



No.609,566, Patented Aug. 23, was s. WOODWARD.

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1898.) (No Model.)

Wifnesses InOenIer.

4% Jf4- mm j 13y @QHQIWW' m: norms versus $0.. wuorc-uma, vusmunmrg. n.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN WOODWARD, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

KNITTING-MACHINE NEEDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,566, dated August23, 1898.

' Application filed April 13, 1896. Serial No. 587,282. (No model.

clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to knitting-machine needles,and particularly tothe shanks of such needles, such shanks being also commonly known asnibs or heels.

The object of my invention is to provide novel means for thickening theheel of the needle, thereby to provide a shoulder to retain the needlein its proper upright position in the holding-cylinder and at the sametime strengthen the heel where the thickening means is applied.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a needle provided with anattachment containing myinvention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same Fig.3, a detail in elevation of the attachment shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 adetail illustrating a mode of applying the attachment differing somewhatfrom that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the needle, and Bits shank orheel, the latter being shown as formed by bending the needle upon itselfto form a loop.

My improved attachment consists of a thickening member, here shown inthe form of a stud, pin, or wire 0, which is passed through an openingor perforation b in the heel. This pin or wire is made longer than isthe thickness of a needle, so that it will project at each side of theheel or shank, in order that its ends may be bent around and to embraceeither portion or limb of said heelfor example, as indicated in Figs. 1,2, and 3, where the projecting ends of the wire or member 0 are bent inopposite directions.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the oppositely-bent ends 0 c of themember 0 each cover two of the sides of the limb of the heel, aboutwhich they are respectively bent, it thus looking, as represented inFig. 3, like a letter S; but the length of the wire or member 0 may bevaried, and consequently the extent to which its bent ends encompass orpass around the limbs of the heel correspondingly varied, so as to bemore or less than is indicated in the drawings. This construction isadopted to avoid brazing the wire in or to the shank or heel, whichwould be necessary if the ends were not bent around the heel, and italso strengthens the heel.

In Fig. 4 the opening or perforation is formed part in one and part inthe other portion or limb of the shank or heel, while in Figs. 1 and 2it is formed entirely in one of the-portions or limbs.

The following claims are intended to cover the invention here disclosedbroadly.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

is Q

1. A knitting-machine needle of the clas described, having a thickeningmember bent to embrace the heel of the needle, said member between itsends passing bodily through an opening in said heel to prevent it fromslipping endwise therefrom.

2. A knitting-machine needle bent upon itself, to form a heel and havinga thickening member applied to said heel and bent to more or lessembrace the same, said thickening member between its embracing endspassing between the limbs thereof.

3. A knitting-machine needle of the class described, having a thickeningmember applied to its heel, between the limbs of the heel and embracingsuch limbs.

4. In a knitting-machine needle, the combination with the heel thereofhaving a perforation, of a wire passed through said perforation, theends of the said wire being bent in opposite directions around theirrespective heel portions whereby said heel may be strengthened and thewire may be held permanently in place.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. STEPHEN WOODWARD.

Witnesses: 3

J. B. THURSTON, JOHN H. ANDREWS.

